The present invention relates to a socket for an integrated circuit ("IC") in order to test components of the IC by a procedure which includes receiving and holding the lead wires of the IC. As is well known in the art, sockets are used in the making of required electrical connections between ICs and printed circuit boards, or in the testing of ICs.
Such a known IC socket has a lead set to bear the lead wires of an IC thereon and a plurality of terminals to make required electric connections to the lead wires of the IC, which lead wires stay on the lead seat of the IC socket. In order to be sure that the individual terminals of the IC socket are put in contact with counter lead wires of the IC, the terminals are so designed that their contacts are resiliently urged and pushed against the upper surfaces of the lead wires of the IC, as it is seen from Japanese Patent No. 2527673.
Also, such an IC socket has an opening-and-closing mechanism to facilitate attachment and removal of the IC therefrom, which opening-and-closing mechanism has an abutment means to abut the cantilever limb of each terminal. Descending action of the abutment means will cause the terminal to release the associated lead wire therefrom, as seen from Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 7-201430 and 7-54835. The abutment means has a cam surface which has the effect of reducing an actuating force and assuring the opening and closing operation.
A conventional IC socket as shown in Japanese Patent No. 2527673 has terminals to permit its contacts to be pushed against the upper surfaces of the lead wires of an IC in order to make sure that reliable electric connections be made between the terminals and the lead wires of the IC. When no lead wires are inserted in the IC socket, the contacts of the terminals stay or hang up on the lead seat of the socket housing. Disadvantageously, this is liable to cause some terminals to have debris stick on or to their contacts, causing incomplete electric connections. Such debris can result from the molding of IC sockets.
Another conventional IC socket is shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 7-201430 and 7-54832, which incorporate a dual-sloped member. Such dual-sloped member structure does not provide smooth movement between its differently sloped surfaces, one being shallower and easier to depress, the other being steeper and requiring more effort to depress. These differences cause users to feel an abrupt movement at the transition between the differing slopes during the opening-and-closing operation. The resistance encountered during the depressing action changes, causing concern that a proper connection might not have been effected.
The present invention is directed to a socket for receiving and holding an integrated circuit which overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages.